How ServiceNow PPM aligned with New PMBOK 7th Edition

[Rajesh_Singh]

PMI released the new PMBOK 7^th Edition, marking generational improvements over its predecessor. The new guide introduces a shift from a traditional stipulated workflow to a more open-ended approach. It goes to say that Project Management is no longer restricted to predefined standards, and instead, modern principles now offer room for adjustment and tuning to achieve ideal results. A high-level overview of PMBOK 7th edition highlights the following changes.

Process-based to Principles-based approach

Until now, the Project Management workflow revolved around a fixed set of processes. The 49 Processes and 5 Process Groups found in PMBOK 6th Edition are now redefined through 12 Project Management Principles.
The main goal of introducing PMP (Project Management Principles) is to simulate a mindset and approach across project delivery—in line with Agile principles. These new principles shall apply regardless of the project scale, kind or budget. With PMP in place, Project Management can now employ varying degrees of processes, as long as it satisfies the following principles.

1. Be a Diligent, Respectful, and Caring Steward
2. Create a Collaborative Project Team Environment 
3. Effectively engage with stakeholders - 
4. Focus on value 
5. Recognize, Evaluate and Respond to System Interactions.
6. Demonstrate Leadership Behaviours
7. Tailor Based on Context.
8. Build Quality into Processes and Deliverables.
9. Navigate Complexity
10. Optimize Risk Responses
11. Embrace Adaptability and Resiliency.
12. Enable Change to Achieve the Envisioned Future State.

It's important to note that these are overarching guiding principles. It introduces an umbrella framework to the Project Management workflow. With that said, PMBOK 6th Edition's process-based approach remains relevant, and managers may still follow them if needed.
ServiceNow is already compatible and in line with the new principle-oriented approach.

1. The platform features Assessments that help you measure team performance. 
2. The platform accommodates planning, prioritizing, and tracking projects under a single roof. This helps synchronize operations as targets and priorities change.
3. Reports/Analytics helps you measure both monetary and miscellaneous gains accrued over different spans of time. 
4. The platform helps you derive the optimum value from projects, taking portfolio investments and business strategies into account.
5. The platform identifies dependencies and risks so you can scale projects more efficiently.
6. Adaptive Planning helps adjust to uncertainties. Should changes happen, you can easily repurpose teams and allocate a budget to achieve similar or modified outcomes.

Project Performance Domains

Previously known as Knowledge Areas, Project Performance Domains encompass 8 defining aspects of Project Management. Through this, managers shall be able to streamline the business activities and optimize project delivery. It highlights related activities which make up the project delivery timeline from start to finish.

• Stakeholder
• Team
• Development Approach and Life Cycle
• Planning
• Project Work
• Delivery
• Measurement
• Uncertainty

The above areas are quintessential for any project cycle. Careful consideration of each of them goes a long way towards elevating overall project performance.
How ServiceNow leverages Project Performance Domains to help deliver projects from start to finish:

1. One platform managing operational and strategic work simultaneously.
2. One platform capable of supporting Agile, Waterfall, and Hybrid at the same time.
3. One platform to create plans collaboratively, manage work, and deliver the desired outcome.
4. One platform to cope with uncertainty is through supple planning.
5. One platform that can efficiently scale any work process to deliver faster results.

Models, Methods, and Artifacts

PMBOK Guide 7th Edition takes ITTOs (Inputs-Tools-Techniques-Outputs) of the last edition and restructures them as Models, Methods, and Artifacts. The three broad categories consist of more exemplary everyday management instruments. Together, they help shape a model that compliments every step of your project.

Model – A thinking strategy that aligns with any particular phenomenon or process.

Method - Means of achieving the result or a deliverable of the project.

Artifact - An artifact is an absolute, in terms of a deliverable, template, or output.

Commonly Used Models:

• Situational Leadership Models
• Communication Models
• Motivation Models
• Change Models
• Complexity Models
• Project Team Development Models
• Other Models

Commonly Used Methods:

• Data Gathering and Analysis
• Estimating
• Meetings and Events
• Other Methods

Commonly Used Artifacts:

• Strategy Artifacts
• Logs and Registers
• Plans
• Hierarchy Charts
• Baselines
• Visual Data and Information
• Reports
• Agreement and Contracts

ServiceNow supports every ITTO from the 6th edition. In the 7th edition, ITTOs are restructured into Methods, Models, and Artifacts. Hence its supports the same.

Tailoring

Tailoring is about taking the above elements and shaping them to best suit the business's needs. From planning to delivery, Project Managers need to tweak the processes and variables at play each step of the way. This helps optimize the time, cost, and utility of any given project. Broadly, there are four steps involved in the tailoring schematic-

1. Selecting an approach, taking into account the price and other factors associated.
2. Tailoring that approach to fit the organization. Each organization has its priorities for similar kinds of projects, and there is no one-size-fits-all. In mind, managers need to align the projects with the business's short and long-term needs.
3. Tailoring the approach for the project. Like the business itself, each project has its differences, and the planned strategy needs to accommodate the same.
4. Ongoing improvements. Project Management needs to be spontaneous and calibrate itself throughout its lifespan. 

ServiceNow is a highly configurable tool that you can easily customize according to your needs with zero to minimum coding.

Conclusion

The new edition of PMBOK Guide brings substantial changes over the 6th edition. The new guidelines introduce holistic advances to Project Management. More importantly, it reflects the need for agility and adaptability, which are relevant for modern businesses. PMBOK 7th edition ultimately brings in welcome changes in sync with the current environment, and project managers benefit immensely. Servicenow is already well equipped to manage the projects as per PMBOK guidelines. 

Your thoughts on my write-up?

Thank you!
Rajesh Singh

[Vivekanandan1]

Such a long list of information which is so intuitive and descriptive. It is really great to have your inputs Rajesh. Everytime it makes me feel gaining complete information when I read your article with enough insights. Please keep up the good work!